In an interview with Yahoo! News, leading GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump wouldn’t rule out an interviewer’s suggestion that the level of surveillance Trump has suggested for Muslims in the United States “would require registering Muslims in a database or giving them a form of special identification that noted their religion.” In fact, Trump said, “We’re going to have to look at the mosques. We’re going to have to look very, very carefully.” Greg Rosenbaum, Chair of the National Jewish Democratic Council, issued the following statement in response to Trump’s remarks:

“The National Jewish Democratic Council recognizes that Donald Trump has said his share of inflammatory remarks the past. However, what he is talking about here is institutionalizing these views and using our government to target the U.S. Muslim population. As a religious minority we understand how quickly fear and hatred can turn to persecution and violence. The idea that the U.S. would mandate special identification cards based off of one’s religion is fundamentally against the values on which our country was founded. Trump’s ideas have no place in our government and certainly not in the White House. We urge all Republican presidential candidates to join us in condemning his remarks.”